


Strays

by SeparationBoundary



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, Animal Shelter Owner!Erwin, Automobile Accident, Bathing, Body Worship, Cats, Enemies to Lovers, Levi/Erwin Smith - Freeform, M/M, Masturbation, Mention of Death, Smut, Top!Levi, Veterinarian!Petra Ral, adoption (of animal), bottom!Erwin, eruri - Freeform, lawyer!Levi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:26:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21633634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeparationBoundary/pseuds/SeparationBoundary
Summary: High-powered lawyer, Levi , despite the parade of one night stands, is bored and lonely.  He makes a decision one day and gets more than he bargained for.  A LOT more.
Relationships: Levi/Erwin Smith
Comments: 31
Kudos: 106





	1. The Lawyer

He had no idea that what began as an innocuous decision would change his life.

Levi was going to get a cat.

  
  


It all started one Friday after a perfect fucking bitch of a week at Pixis, Ackerman, and Shadis. They’d all celebrated a particularly tiresome case getting done and everyone had helped himself to a bit more spirits than was probably wise. Most of the crew had staggered off home or, like Pixis and Shadis, off to a round of bar hopping.

Levi had then helped himself to the personal assistant of one of the younger lawyers (on the lawyers desk, to boot) and had headed home mostly satisfied.

Mostly.

  
  


The reclaimed warehouse that held Levi’s apartment wasn’t terribly tall but his flat took up the whole top floor. Levi hit the switch backhanded as he stepped off the lift and the understated lights came up. He removed his coat and shoes leaving both in their respective places by the door.

For a moment Levi just looked around him as if he'd never seen the place before. It was a sterile space, despite its history, the warm rich wood floors contrasted with the sleek black leather and shiny chrome furniture. Levi set his satchel down on one end of the couch. A few pillows of some rough weave - burlap?- that were supposed to tie "the look" together, shifted .

Levi didn't know anything about the decor. He'd bought whatever the interior designer had suggested; thrown money at her and ignored the process. Not one piece of furniture had ever been used save for the middle cushion on the couch where Levi had sat every now and then and watched the news if it was something interesting. He never touched the pillows; they were itchy.

It seemed cold to Levi (even though he knew that the thermostat kept the temp at an exact 68 degrees.) Chilly and lonely. He folded his arms over his chest. He didn't love this space or hate it but the vast, silent, open plan of the whole place felt so empty. 

He contemplated what to do. Open a bottle of wine or ring up one of his many fucktoys? He or she could be here in half an hour at most. Another good fuck might cheer him up. 

Both, maybe? Yes, both.

Starting with the wine.

After a nice long shower (during which his bottle of wine accompanied him into the bathroom) and a desultory skim through Netflix, he’d said fuck it and had rung one of his on-call lovers: an intern at the local hospital who taught yoga on the week-ends. Jeez, and they were not kidding with the old adage: the young man was  _ very _ flexible.

After kicking the intern out, another shower, and opening another bottle of wine, Levi lay on his huge soft bed, hands behind his head, contemplating the darkened room.

He felt funny. Different.

Bored? Maybe a little. Directionless? Well …  _ work _ was going great. It was uneventful if anything. It was when he was back at his apartment that he felt … what was it?

Lonely?

That had to be bullshit. If he was lonely, he could’ve asked what’s-his-name the intern to stay. The thought made him shake his head. He was not averse to humans per se but he’d just never met one he could stand for longer than it took to coax them into bed.

He hadn’t known people he cared to associate with since he was young. Since his mom and Isabel and Farlan and that had been, oh, so many years ago now.

Levi rolled over onto his side and stared past the island to the gleaming kitchen. He could faintly remember having someone in his kitchen. Not this sterile one of course, but back at college. He’d be studying on his bed and Farlan would be putzing around the stove and isabel would be laying the table with their mismatched thrift store plates and cutlery.

Levi almost smiled at the memory.

Someone for him to come home to.

Levi idley inserted the faces and voices of various people he knew into a vague theoretical person (cooking in his kitchen perhaps?) then snorted and rolled back over onto his back. It would have to be a special sort of person for Levi to be able to put up with them. And for them to be able to put up with Levi.

But he was … lonely.

Maybe he could get a dog? No his hours were too long and unpredictable. A cat?

Levi loved animals but had a particular weak spot for cats.

He remembered the day Isabel’s little adopted stray calico had been killed; run down in the road. After cleaning up the body and consoling a devastated Isabel he’d had to lock himself in the tiny bathroom that the whole floor of the tenement building shared and cry. He hadn’t cried like that since his mother had died.

Yes... yes. He would get a cat.

“A what?” 

“A cat.”

There was a grave silence on Hange’s end of the phone line, then bubbling enthusiasm. “Well, I can’t say I ever imagined you with a pet!” Levi could almost see Hange pushing her glasses up her nose, “And a cat would be perfect! All aloof and cold, just like you!”

“Hey! I’m not cold!” Levi protested.

Hange laughed, too loud over the phone, “Oh sweetie! Then let’s say standoffish, shall we? You know I love you!”

Levi grunted irritably. “Well, I’m  _ so glad  _ you approve.”

Laughter pealed down the line again, “You socially awkward darling!”

“Ugh. I’m hanging up now,”

“Wait, wait! Remember don’t go to a breeder! There are too many strays waiting for forever homes. Oh, Levi I’m so happy!”

The phone line buzzed from Levi having disconnected the call.

  
  
  


On Friday Levi found himself doing what he often did: staying late at the office simply because he had no reason to go home, no one to go home to. If he was being honest his only real friend was Hange who was currently dating an anesthesiology resident. It was bad enough that Moblit’s hours were shit but Levi hated to impinge on their “us” time. So he was doing it again; drinking wine in his darkened office, gazing out at the thousands of lights of the city. Were there thousands of people behind those lights? Were any of them lonely like him? Would any of them be likely to be able to stand him? Short and foul mouthed, bad tempered and a clean freak?

He sighed. Fuck the thousands of people. A cat wouldn’t judge.

He absently began pondering his latest decision. How does one acquire a cat, anyway? Can you  _ buy _ cats? Hange mentioned breeders.

No, wait, breeders were bad, right?

After he finished his glass of wine Levi headed home. He could think as he walked. 

The route he took between downtown where the law firm was and his building was a treacherous one. It didn’t bother him. He’d grown up on streets a lot more violent than these.

The neighborhood where his apartment was was a rough one too but ‘up and coming’ according to the real estate agents and was rapidly being transformed by gentrification. He could feel his property values going up as he walked.

Stepping through the darkness, he listened to the city, listened to its pets and its pet owners. Where did these people get their pets? These were the lesser-thans, the poorer folk. He saw a middle aged woman feeding cats on her stoop. Her pets or just lucky strays? 

He saw a man arriving home for the evening and his big mixed mutt of a dog greeting him delightedly and the man lavishing love on the hairy, slobbery thing. Levi would have been mortified for any of his highbrow friends to have seen him smiling slightly at the sight. 

He saw two octogenarians chattering and feeding a cageful of pigeons in an alley.

Plenty of pet owners. Plenty of pets despite poverty.

Then, as he walked, he noticed  _ them _ . The soundless shadows against alley walls; the threadbare cat, the painfully skinny dog. Then Levi thought of his own roots, of the poorest of the poor neighborhoods. He thought of Isabel and her penchant for bringing home strays. 

He  _ would _ get a cat. 

He would adopt a stray

  
  


Levi paced as he waited for Hange to pick up the phone. Finally the line clicked. “Hel--”

"Hange, where do I get one? Where do they go? The strays?"

Levi could practically hear Hange’s smile.

“Don’t worry, I know a woman,” they said, “a veterinarian, Petra Ral. She’s got a friend named Erwin Smith who runs a no-kill shelter.”

“I want to meet him,”

Levi heard Hange’s nails clicking thoughtfully on the phone receiver. “I’m going his way tomorrow. I could drop off one of your business cards.”

“That would be perfect Hange, thank you!”

On Saturday he went shopping.

Levi shut his car door and just looked up at the imposing facade of the popular pet warehouse. This was it. He was getting a cat so he needed cat … stuff.

Inside it seemed like he had to walk a quarter of a mile to get to the cat section, then once he got there he was flabbergasted. Did cats need this many things? He thought of the crowd of stray cats on the old woman’s stoop, all eating politely out of a single chipped china dinner plate.

Well. Maybe there was a happy medium.

He bought an egregious cat bed - probably more comfortable than his own with memory foam and a heated cushion - and water and food dishes; two of each so that two could be in use while the other two were being washed. A collection of collars (he had no idea after all of the sex or color of his new freind,) and then he came upon the litter boxes.

It took him a good half hour to decide upon the ‘system’ that he desired. One, the thought of cat shit anywhere in his apartment was anathema to him. Then again, a cat had to shit. Hell, technically he himself shit in the apartment though he got to flush it down.

That revelation helped his choice a lot. He discovered flushable cat litter and space age looking technology for removing said shits from the box.

He hummed contentedly. Cat shit wasn’t a preferred topic but at least he was getting prepared to deal with it.

For a week Levi waited. Five whole days plus the two days of the weekend. The man, Erwin Smith, never called him. Finally, on Monday, Levi was determined to go to the shelter himself.

At first, Levi didn't leave his car. The expensive Mercedes sedan idled at the curbside and Levi contemplated the place. It was pretty small. At one point a traditional pet shop, it had been bought by Erwin Smith’s non-profit organization that rescued abused and abandoned pets. Levi was glad he had chosen the place for their 'no euthanasia' policy.

It didn't look super clean though, and it bustled with people. Volunteer workers he guessed and people looking for pets. Levi chewed his lower lip and caressed the leather covered steering wheel for comfort.

He really wanted a cat. He wanted to help the animals. But he hated people, as lonely as he was. And fuck there were a lot of people. Fuck. Maybe he could just make a hefty donation and leave. Let Hange pick out a cat for him.

Levi finally parked and approached the building. He edged in the front door and off to one side, sizing up the place.

He realised that he was wrong about the cleanliness of the establishment. It was just old. The front room had clearly been different shops before; he could see the lighter spots on the floor where various furniture and counters had sat for ages. At some point it had been a laundromat even - a shallow gutter and water pipes still ran along one wall. But the torn linoleum was scrubbed and the bare spots of plywood underneath swept clean. Paint had peeled off the walls but someone had put up posters all over of happy looking cats and dogs (and one ridiculously adorable ferret.)

Levi stood off to the side of the door and tried to separate out who was who in the shop. He discovered that all of the volunteers had on sticky paper name tags---that helped---and the potential adopters were easy to spot; a young couple, and a family with a surprisingly well behaved daughter of about five. That left one man without a name tag, a tall blond in a checked shirt with three fuzzy puppies draped over one arm.

As Levi watched, the man leaned down to deposit the puppies and the fabric of his cheap khaki trousers stretched tightly across the finest ass Levi had ever laid eyes on. It was plump and muscular and blended into thighs that were so thick and juicy they wouldn’t have been out of place in a fried chicken commercial.

Levi was almost salivating as the man straightened back up. And up. And up. Fuck, he was tall!

Abruptly he turned and Levi almost popped a boner like a high schooler.

Pale blond and square jawed he looked like a real life Captain America. His body seemed muscular under his cheap checked button up shirt. His face was kind, his eyes a light, intense blue.

Levi was having trouble concentrating. Hell, he was having trouble  _ breathing _ .

It was clearly nearing closing time as the three volunteers appeared out of the back and bid the blond man goodbye. He must be the manager then. Was this Erwin Smith?

As Levi watched, the young couple wandered over and the younger woman began making a huge fuss over the fuzzy puppies who were equally delighted with her.

The blond haired man smiled benevolently down at them and Levi’s heart hitched in his chest. Realising that he was staring, and that it was nearing closing, Levi moved away from the door and began looking for the cats. A neatly printed sign with the adoption fees on it caught Levi’s eye.

Fifty dollars? That was it? Levi frowned and read more closely. Yep. $30 for the spay or neuter and a $20 adoption fee. For $7 more dollars you could get the animal’s basic shots plus the rabies vaccination.

Levi’s steely gaze slid over to the blonde man again. There was an out-of-place frown marring his handsome face. Had he been looking at Levi just then?

Levi became convinced that he had been mistaken as the obviously kind man, smiling gently, accepted money from the older woman while the younger held up a fuzzy golden puppy and let it lick her laughing face. The whole scene was sickeningly adorable.

The man was waving the couple out the door and Levi noticed that there was an inexpertly applied patch on the right knee of his khaki trousers. Looking over the man carefully, he noted how - like the shop - the man was spotlessly clean (except for some pet hair) but sort of shabby. He also realised that the man was missing part of his right arm. The arm seemed to end at mid-bicep and the empty sleeve was neatly pinned up.

The tall man had moved over to the family and had crouched easily to bring himself closer to the daughter’s level. Apparently she was there to get a rabbit.

Shit. They were the last people there besides Levi and it seemed that the kid had already picked out her bun. The blond would be turning to him, Levi, next. What would he say? Oh god it was hard enough talking to people who were not his subordinates at work but when they were strangers and a stranger who was this hot and obviously a saint … ?

Levi surreptitiously wiped his sweaty palms on the seat of his trousers under his jacket where the stains wouldn’t show.

The blond man seemed in no hurry to rush the little family out and get to Levi. Normally this would have sent Levi into a blind rage but now he just rocked from foot to foot trying to decide if he should wait or just flee.

In the end he punked.

The tall blond man was carefully boxing the rabbit up for it’s ride home when Levi’s anxiety peaked. He couldn’t imagine what to say to such a person. How does one even interact with a kind, blond god, anyway?

Levi slipped out the door.

He didn’t see the big man’s eyes flicker up, his frown so deep it was almost a snarl, his gaze boring into Levi’s back, eyes like blue lasers.

“I’ll send Hange back. They can pick me out a cat. Yeah,” Levi said out loud to himself as he opened his car door. “That’ll work out just fine. Hange has good taste.”

As he slid into the driver’s seat Levi licked his lips and looked back into the front windows of the shop. The kid with the rabbit was urging her parents to leave, clearly excited with her new bun and eager to get him home.

Levi could see the big blond guy. He was grinning at the little girl and saying something; Levi could see his lips move. He had nice lips, Levi thought.

_ Shit. Time to leave now you idiot. _

He pulled out of the space slowly, taking a second to get one last glance at the owner of the shop. Then he left the lot, shaking his head at his own stupidity.

Erwin watched the sleek, heavy, Mercedes sedan slide out of the parking lot like water. Expensive, black water. The rabbit family were walking out the door and Erwin was at the small counter that served as his check out area and desk. He was fingering a business card and his mind roiled.

Who was that fancy asshole? A politician? He’d gotten them in there before wanting to shake hands and smile and get it all on film to show how they cared for the little man and his tiny neighborhood business.

He looked like a lawyer though, something slick and sinuous and evil about him. Erwin turned the card over and over in his hands. OK … maybe not  _ evil _ but could still be a lawyer, though. Could be the guy Petra had said wanted a cat. The guy on the card.

The card that had been handled in the space of a few days until it was creased and worn and about to fall apart.

Erwin scowled out at the fading tail lights of the mercedes, lost in thought. 

It took him almost 10 minutes to snap out of it. It was time to check all the animal’s water and to lock up. 

He couldn't get his mind off of the small, black-haired  _ maybe _ lawyer. He wondered for the umpteenth time why the man had come to his shop. Petra's friend had said he wanted to adopt a cat but Erwin didn't buy that. The man didn't look like a cat person or even a dog person. He probably kicked puppies. Hell he probably kicked  _ babies _ , lawyer scum.

Erwin studied the business card yet again and his thoughts wandered backward in time. He wondered if the snazzy little man in his designer suit had been there  _ back then _ . Back when Erwin's life had come apart at the seams and dropped its stuffing everywhere like a brutalized doll. Back when Erwin felt so much physical and mental pain that his own brain felt like it was leaking out.

The blond man stared out the plate glass and mused on the matter. He didn't think the man had been there; he would have recognised someone that strikingly attractive.

"Attractive?" Erwin muttered to himself. "Don’t be stupid, Smith." He couldn't deny it though, the little man had been stunning. Why was it always the rat bastards who were cute?


	2. The Tortoiseshell

(Tuesday)  
The door to the shelter opened with a quiet click and Erwin slipped inside. though he tried to sneak in every day there was always an animal or three---usually the dogs---who sensed or heard him and began a joyous racket that he was there. Sure enough, a basset hound cross named, appropriately, Droopy, gave happy tongue announcing that Erwin had arrived. Despite his wish for a few moments of quiet, Erwin smiled. He loved the animals dearly. They each had their own unique personalities and life stories. He tried to find only the best of homes for them.  
He began his morning routine while the basset sang in the background, not for the first time thankful that the building was detached and not in a strip mall.  
He collected all the water dishes and washed them thoroughly (the food dishes were washed every night before closing). Nudging his cart along he returned all of the water dishes and filled them, giving any needed morning medications.  
As he was releasing all the dogs into their runs his mind wandered back to the slick dark man from yesterday. He chewed over it in his mind. If the guy was someone who wanted something from him - an interview, a handshake in front of the camera, or whatever, he would have approached him, certainly. The man hadn't even done anything but shoot glances Erwin's way. He acted almost ... shy.  
Erwin scowled and pushed a gate shut with the stump of his right arm. Shy. No hecking way. Despite not looking like a bloodthirsty human shark he was probably that lawyer Petra had sent his way (he'd have words with her later)  
Shy.  
Like there was such a thing as a lawyer lacking in confidence!

(Tuesday)  
Work the next day was almost unbearable for Levi. He couldn't keep his mind on his job. Being the junior partner in a prestigious law firm was hard enough without his thoughts straying to the handsome owner of the shabby local no-kill animal shelter.  
Levi tried to wrack his brains for clarity. He tried to be realistic. They were total opposites. Levi was anti-social, bristly, irritable, and rude. He had no social skills to speak of. He spent ten or twelve hours every day at his job where he cursed like a sailor and generally abused everyone around him. The man with one arm was too fucking sweet. Too kind. His life was slow and gentle. He’d find Levi horrifying and Levi would think him boring. Right?

Hange caught up with Levi before lunch.  
“You can’t just fuck a guy like that, Hange!”  
“I thought that’s how fucktoys worked, Levi” Hange was fishing olives out of the jar with her fingers. Levi strode over, snatched the jar and threw it hard into the trash.  
“Hey! Those were perfectly good!”  
“I can’t use them now your spit and finger crud are on them!”  
Levi crossed to the window, stopping at his small personal sink to wash his hands.   
“And he’s not a fucktoy.”  
Hange, frowning, retrieved the olives from the bin and set about eating them again.  
“So how is this guy different from any of the others?”  
Levi’s eyes unfocused as he dried his hands and folded the towel neatly over the chrome towel bar.  
“I dunno. He’s just like … you should have seen him with the puppies! … somebody’s boyfriend or husband.”  
Hange froze, mid olive.  
“Don’t you regularly fuck other peoples boyfriends and husbands?”  
“Damnit, Hange! He’s like a pure … faithful boyfriend or husband!”  
Hange pursed their lips, “Sooo maybe he could be your boyfriend … maybe try to date this one …?” they said carefully.  
Levi snapped out of his reverie.  
“Date? Date?! Does anyone date anymore? Just Tinder and Grindr. He threw up his hands then paused, thoughtful. “I’m … I’m not sure I know how.”

Levi was altogether brooding. He found himself daydreaming, failed to scream at underlings, and actually told an assistant ‘thank you’. He couldn’t focus on anything except the memory of the tall blonde man at the shelter.  
At one point he locked himself into his spacious executive bathroom to change his shirt (a spot of soy sauce had fallen on it during his distracted lunch,) and he critically eyed himself in the full-length mirror. Clad only in his tank-style undershirt and trousers he pursed his lips and appraised himself. Short; check. Unhealthily pale skin; check. Thanks to working out five days a week he was sharply muscled but his penchant for living on tea, wine, and rage had reduced him to very little body fat making him look too lean, too spare, sharp like a fish knife.  
Levi sighed. The big blonde man was practically cuddly compared to Levi.

\---

Levi slipped in the door of the shelter like last time, circling around toward the wall where the cats were. The blond man had had a wall of glass constructed so that customers could look in and see adoptable cats in their crates. In addition, two 'playrooms' had been constructed where cats or, usually, kittens, could be put to be given some exercise and work their wiles on the potential adopters.  
The store had no shoppers at the moment and to levi's anxious excitement the blond haired man made a beeline for him.  
Levi stood nervously in front of the glass - no, not nervously; he was a big bad lawyer. Big bad lawyers did not experience nervousness, right? Levi squeezed his hands together so hard they hurt.  
"May I help you?" The man asked when he came close.  
Strange. He didn't sound helpful.  
"Hello," Levi said, "I'm Levi Ackerman. I believe you got my card" He attempted a smile.  
Something flashed in those sky blue eyes of the taller man. Something chilly. "I did. I'm Erwin Smith."  
"Pleased to meet you," Levi said, extending his hand. His right hand.  
It took several seconds of Erwin staring down at him for Levi to realise that the man's missing arm was his right. He dropped his hand quickly and guiltily then nervously ran the fingers of that same hand through his hair.  
Something was wrong. Definitely wrong. This man, Erwin, was acting off-putting, cold, even. Every time Levi had seen him interact with others he'd been a gently smiling, soft voiced, sweet man. What had happened? Was it him?  
He tried a different tack. "Erwin. That's an unusual name."  
Erwin just stared, those icy blue eyes doing things to Levi's insides.  
"Why are you back here, Mr Ackerman?"  
"Please, call me Levi." Levi said, "I came about a cat. I think my friend told you---"  
"She did. I must tell you ... Levi ... that I'm very particular about the homes that I send my animals to."  
"I understand," Levi said, trying to look as responsible as possible.  
Erwin turned, walking toward the door to the cat room, "Do you have, for instance, a secure place for your new friend to eat? to sleep? Do you have toys, food, a bed? Are you planning on letting your new friend outside?"  
Levi nodded then shook his head emphatically "No on going outside and I have all the stuff. Everything!" Levi suddenly felt like a boy being chastised by his teacher. He looked eagerly at the taller man for approval.  
Erwin didn't say anything, couldn't say anything. the lawyer seemed to have dotted all his "I"s and crossed all his "T"s. With a touch of reluctance, like a rich man showing a known thief all of his treasures, he unlocked the cat door.  
"Their names are on the doors. If you have any questions please ask." Erwin said, “what sort of cat are you looking for?"  
Levi was staring in awe and wonder at the variety of cats, all sleek and happy, some rising and stretching to come rub against the bars. He suddenly wanted to adopt all of them.  
"I don't know, really," Levi said reaching thru a nearby set of bars to scratch on the side of a pale ginger cat. "What do you recommend?"  
Erwin stepped forward. "Older cats are generally quieter and usually more easy-going. I have three older females here who have been waiting for forever homes for a while."  
Levi paused. Forever home. He could give another living thing a forever home. Then he thought of these beautiful and sweet creatures living their entire lives in these crates overlooked again and again by potential adopters. "I'd like to see those three,"  
Erwin nodded in approval despite himself. If this guy was trying to get on Erwin's good side he was doing a great job. "One is Buffy, there. He indicated the ginger, "One is Boots and the last is Ruby" he pointed at each cage in turn. Levi gave a last scratch to Buffy and moved on.   
Boots, a medium haired black and white rubbed adoringly against the bars and kept up a happy meowing. Levi spent some time rubbing her and moved on to the last.  
When he got to the crate, the last in the upper row, he sucked in his breath in shock. Ruby was beautiful. A dark tortoiseshell, she was patched over with black, grey, and a dark gold. Her regal face was half grey and half black and her eyes a serene dark yellow. She made no move to come to the door of the crate but when Erwin opened the door she closed her eyes and started up a deep booming pur as Levi fondled her ears.  
"I like this one," Levi said, mesmerized.

Erwin was impressed despite himself; it was clear that Levi truly liked the cat. Despite his prejudice he spoke, “Would you like to take her now?”  
“N-now?”   
Levi was torn. He wanted a cat but he suddenly trembled at being the caretaker of another living soul. Was he ready? He wanted this cat but then what excuse would he have to come and try his luck with the handsome blond shelter owner? He had to decide. He had to gather himself.  
“Let me … let me think about it,” he murmured. Withdrawing his checkbook he leaned against the wall, writing. “Let me leave this with you now, though, and I’ll be back to choose a cat.”   
The check made a scri-i-i-tch sound as he tore it out of his checkbook and Erwin twitched. He was torn too. He was still suspicious of the small lawyer but the shelter could use every dollar it could get. And he really seemed taken with the cat. After a moment's hesitation he took the check and stared at it. It was for $1000.  
“See you later?” Levi asked hopefully.  
Erwin, stunned, just nodded.

Erwin was becoming paranoid. Every time he saw a smallish man in a suit his heart began racing. Stupid! That butthole was a lawyer, not someone to be trusted.  
Why did that stupid Lawyer keep coming back, anyway? Erwin wasn't a paranoid man by nature but he couldn't figure this one out. He said he wanted to adopt a cat, he had even donated a hefty sum to the shelter, but what was his motive? Erwin ran his fingers through his hair in frustration then had to quickly rearrange the strands as the bell over the door dinged. Who was this, now? Sincere people looking to give a pet a forever home? Or lookie loos here to ogle the animals as a way to waste a few minutes?  
Erwin, unlike the big box pet stores who made most of their money on high-end fancy 'pet nutrition' and accessories that no animal ever needed (Cat raincoats? Really?), Erwin's establishment was here primarily to find animals a much needed home.  
Erwin turned toward the door with his signature smile and found a young-middle-aged woman with red eyes clutching a handkerchief. He sensed a forever home.

\---  
Erwin was out behind the shop with a hose and two washbasins washing the rugs and bits of carpet that the dogs slept on. Each dog got a rug or a large carpet scrap plus a towel or a small blanket as bedding. The towels and blankets could be washed in the sturdy old maytag washing machine in the back of the store room but the rugs and carpet scraps could not. These were piled into a washtub with soap, squished around until clean them hosed off. Next they went into a tub with insecticide to rid them of any creepy crawlies. The towels and blankets were hung on the line out back and the rugs were spread out on the grass in the sun to dry.  
Erwin was plieing the hose when Hange Zoe appeared around the building.  
“Hi you!’ Hange shouted, startling the blond haired man. Erwin stared at her as she came bouncing up to him. “Hi! I’m Hange Zoe! I brought you that business card? From my friend Levi?”  
Erwin’s lips pressed into a line. “Yes. I remember you.”  
“Did he come by? How did it go?”  
Erwin studied the wild haired brunette. It was hard to believe that someone as flamboyant as them would be friends with someone as reserved as Mr Ackerman. He wondered if they were lovers or boyfriend - girlfriend.  
Then he wondered why he wondered that.  
“Yes, he did come by he saw a few cats and almost decided on one but he wanted to think about it more.”  
“Oh that sounds like him. Which cat did he want?”  
“The older female tortoiseshell … but …”  
“Oh I liked her too,” Hange crooned,  
“... but she’s been adopted.”  
Hange’s face fell. “What? Oh no. He’s not going to be pleased with that.”  
“I’m sorry,” Erwin said, “But I can’t hold animals for anyone---”  
“Oh, I understand, I understand, I’m just worried about how Levi will react.”

Erwin was to find out the next day.  
Levi looked so small and vulnerable to Erwin, the disappointment obvious on his face. He had even brought a new fancy pet crate to transport Ruby home in.  
But Ruby was gone.  
“I’m so sorry,” Erwin said for the third time. The smaller man’s face broke Erwin’s heart. He had clearly had his heart set on that cat.  
“It’s alright. I should've acted sooner.” Levi mumbled.  
“You’d really approve of the lady who adopted her---if it makes you feel better---she just lost her husband and only child in a car accident and didn’t want to be alone. She was a sweet lady.”  
“I’m sure,” Levi said dully. “Well, good day, Mr Smith.”  
“Wait! Come back Mr Ackerman ... I mean another day ... and look again. We get so many animals needing homes. I’m sure that there’s one out there for you.”  
“Thank you Mr Smith. I’ll think about it.”  
And he was gone.


	3. The Red Nissan

Levi was depressed. He couldn’t work. All he thought about was the beautiful blond man at the pet shelter. He couldn’t relax in his own home; he was dreadfully lonely and so so sorry he’d missed getting his cat. All he wanted was a sweet blond boyfriend and a tortoiseshell cat named Ruby. Was that too much to ask?

He took a huge gulp of wine and resumed his position: sat on the floor in the corner of his sliding glass doors looking out on the lights of the city. A big lonely city full of people. He wondered if he was the only lonely person out there. Surely not. He thought of Ruby’s new owner and how lonely she must have been and felt terribly guilty. She deserved Ruby more than he did. He was selfish to have wanted her. What made him think he was deserving of a nice pet? He was a ruthless lawyer who specialised in being a bastard. He didn’t have what it takes to have a nice pet.

He took another big slug of wine.

  
  
  


It was closing time at the shelter when Levi showed up. He parked his big Mercedes crossways over a few spaces and staggered up to the door. He saw Erwin immediately and it was clear that Erwin had seen him. They both just stared at each other through the glass.

  
  


Erwin was torn. He had been thinking of the small lawyer, well … a lot. Ok. All the time and after Ruby was adopted had thought he’d never see him again. But he didn’t want to see him, Lawyer scum. But he did.

_ Gee, Erwin, get a grip _

Was Levi angry? Here to cuss Erwin out for adopting out his pet? Or was he here to look for another cat? Perhaps Erwin could flirt with him a bit. Then he saw the wine bottle and realized that Levi was drunk. He could tell by looking that Levi was drunk before he opened the door. 

But open the door he did.

“Errrrrrrwin,” Levi slurred stumbling against the doorjamb and sort of hanging there. 

“Levi. You’re drunk. You shouldn’t be driving. Come inside and I’ll get you some water.”

“Oh, fuck the water. I’m fine.”

Erwin pressed his lips together. Driving while under the influence was illegal.

“What is it that you want, Levi? It’s closing time.”

Levi staggered past him and set his wine on the counter with a clunk.

“Levi. I have to close now. Can I at least get you some water?”

“You’re cute when you’re angry,” Levi said

Erwin blushed at that but stayed firm, “I’m getting you some water.”

“I said fuck. The. Water. I wanna talk to you.”

“Well I’m not going to stand here and talk with someone whose drunk off his backside!”

“‘Backside’! So cute!” Levi giggled.

“That’s it. Leave. I’m not having this conversation!” Erwin strode towards the door.

“What's your deal anyway?" Levi snapped, "Why are you so pissy to me and nice to everyone else?"

"Because I know your type and you are just after something!"

"Yeah, a cat! That's no reason to act so cold!"

"No, it's not just a cat. It can't be! You lawyers are only after personal gain!"

Levi staggered back a bit, eyeing Erwin tipsily. Fuck it. He had nothing to lose.

"Maybe what I personally wanna gain is your ass! Didja ever think of that?"

"What?!"

"Your ass, baby, that fine, round, firm---"

Erwin blushed scarlet.

“Y-you … I … j-just ...  _ get out!” _

Erwin jerked open the front door just as Levi looked around and the door hit Levi squarely in the face.

“Gaaaahhh! What’d you do that for?!” Levi reeled back and bent over, holding his nose gingerly. An alarming amount of blood seeped between his fingers.

“Oh, fudge! Oh, I’m so sorry!” Erwin said holding his hands out to steady the smaller man. “I didn’t mean to!”

“You  _ did  _ you hulging idiot!”

“Well you were being vulgar!”

“I was telling the truth!” Levi spat. He stood upright. “So I take it youre dot gay or bi? So I bade a bistake! That’s no reasod to  _ hit _ subbody with a  _ door!” _

“I didn’t do it on purpose!”

“I don’ doh what I ever saw id you!”

_ ‘Saw in him’? _ _ Wait … the handsome little lawyer was … attracted to him? _

Erwin had no idea what to do so he did the only thing he could think of; he threw him out. He, red faced, pointed dramatically at the door, “Leave!”

“Yeah, fide, fide, I’b goig!”

Levi took his coat, took his bottle of wine and, eyeing Erwin balefully the whole time, swept out the door. Just as he was getting in his car Erwin yelled something.

“What?!” Levi yelled back. His nose was throbbing and blood was drying on his upper lip.

“I said I  _ am _ Bi!” Erwin yelled and shut the door.

  
  
  


Two days later Levi showed up at the shelter at closing time bearing a huge bouquet of flowers. Levi stared and Erwin stared back.

“Oh holy cow. I did a number on you,” Erwin said, coming around the counter slowly. “What are you doing here?” 

“I came to apologise.”

Levi ducked his head, hoping to hide his pink cheeks. He glowered at the bouquet of flowers as if they were to blame for his embarrassment. 

“Nice flowers,” Erwin murmured. 

“Ahh, I just picked these up at the grocery store.”

Erwin eyeballed the lavish bouquet---two dozen white roses---and knew that was a lie.

Levi’s face was a mess. Both eyes were underlined in dark purple and his nose was still swollen. 

“I’m very sorry,” Erwin said. “I really didn’t mean to.”

Levi fingered his sore nose. “You were really passionate.”

Erwin fiddled with a pen, “You took me by surprise.”

Levi fell silent, apparently tapped out on smalltalk. Erwin fidgeted quietly a bit as well.

“Did you … did you mean it?” he asked suddenly.

Levi looked blank.

“What you said,” Erwin explained, “about my … uhm …”

“Oh … uh …” Levi’s pink cheeks darkened to red. “Well … yeah, actually.” He rubbed the back of his neck, smiling a little embarrassed smile, “I was pretty drunk but … yeah.” He thrust the bouquet at Erwin, stepping close.

Erwin took it, red up to the tips of his ears and grinned at the floor. 

They stood there in tableau, just two feet from each other until a passing car splashed a wash of pale light around the interior of the shop. Both men started then Erwin cleared his throat a couple of times. “Well … I have to lock up now

“Oh, yeah, sorry, no! I understand.” Levi stepped back. “Well, I guess I’ll uh …” Levi rubbed the back of his neck. 

_ What the fuck?! What was happening to him? He was acting like a fumbling teenager!  _

“I guess I’ll see you later … yeah?”

Erwin blushed and waved and Levi went out.

Levi couldn’t help but smile a little secret smile to himself as he unlocked his car and slipped inside. He had definitely sobered up. He passed the only car in the lot, presumably Erwin’s, a tiny, battered, blue Toyota something or other. Levi’s mind was on other things, namely a certain tall blond god of an animal shelter owner.

  
  


Levi was about a half a mile away when he glanced into the passenger seat and spotted the ornate card with ‘I’m sorry!’ in elegant script on the outside. Erwin’s card. It went with the flowers and he had stupidly forgotten it. Well, shit. Levi boldly did a u-turn in the middle of the thoroughfare and headed back. Erwin was probably still there. Levi shivered at the chance to see the man again. He hoped he wouldn’t be too late.

Levi was, indeed, late.

His Mercedes came around the corner about 10mph too fast. He tapped the brakes when he saw the ratty, little, blue Toyota leaving the parking lot of the animal shelter.

_ Shit. Too late. _

He cursed himself and decided that he'd try the next day. It’d give him a chance to talk and maybe flirt a little bit ...

Where the red pickup truck came from, Levi would never be able to remember. It sprang out of a nearby alley like a Stephen King nightmare and barrelled down on the beat-up blue compact car.

Levi instinctively stepped on the brakes and then, intentionally, the accelerator. Anything to get to the little Toyota in time. Anything to stop that pickup truck.

In the end, the nose of the Mercedes Benz s550 hit the driver's side of the red Nissan truck a millisecond  _ after _ the truck hit the smaller car.

The Toyota spun away, skittering like a leaf on a frozen pond. The Mercedes---almost 5000lbs of German engineering---hit the pickup right in the driver's side door, punching it sideways almost 20 feet.

Levi was out of his car first, ignoring his Mercedes's front end and the truck and it's driver, He raced to get to the little car.

Levi ran up to the Toyota. It had been hit on the left rear quarter panel---the driver’s side back fender---which had crumpled up into the trunk. The drivers area seemed undamaged but Levi in his frenzy had to struggle with the door to open it. He could see Erwin inside looking ridiculously large in the tiny car. Levi saw no blood but there was something far wrong with the big man. His eyes were blank and glassy and he trembled violently all over.

Shit!  _ Seizure? Brain damage? _

Levi hauled at the door, cursing. Finally it popped open and Levi fought with the seatbelt. When he got it undone, intending to tell Erwin to sit tight while he called 911, the blond toppled right out of the car and lay on the pavement wide-eyed but limp. White rose petals fell around him like snow.

Levi didn't leave Erwin for a moment until the ambulances got there. He fretted and worried and crouched by the man till the EMTs pulled him away.

The pickup truck driver, who was drunk off of his ass and boneless with alcohol, had sustained only a cut on his head and a sprained wrist.

Levi followed the ambulance to the hospital, the Mercedes's crumpled front end no deterrent to the car’s performance.

He paced the waiting room---since he wasn’t a relative or a spouse he wasn’t allowed upstairs into Erwin’s room---and waited eagerly for any word or a relative to show up or anything so that he could find out what was going on. Hange showed up and brought Levi a change of clothes and tried to keep him company.

Finally, after midnight, a woman showed up and Levi heard her ask for Erwin Smith. Hange was gone if she’d been there she would have recognised the woman as the veterinarian, Petra Ral

Levi immediately got up and hovered close to the counter, listening for a room number. He got it: 104. The woman noticed him lurking.

“May I help you?”

“Excuse me, I don’t mean to bother you but are you a relative of Erwin Smith?”

“No. I’m a friend. He has no family,” She held out one slender hand, “Dr. Petra Ral. Who are you?”

“Levi Ackerman, You know my friend Hange Zoe, she introduced me to Erwin … Mr Smith.”

Dr Ral seemed unimpressed. She crossed her arms and pursed her lips. “What are you to Erwin? I was under the impression you were looking to adopt a pet from him, nothing more.”

“I did, I mean I was … shit, I am”

Dr Ral frowned.

“But we … uh … have been talking.”

Ral’s manicured eyebrow went up.

“And we’re friends. At least I think we are.” Levi finished miserably.

“What happened to your face?”

Levi touched one of the dark bruises beside his nose. “Actually he did …”

“That’s bullshit. Erwin smith would never hit anyone. Now if you’ll excuse me …”

“Wait! No! He didn't hit me, it was an accident, he opened the door to the store and hit my nose!”

Ral looked dubious.

“Please, please, I know all this seems weird, but Erwin and I were talking, I brought him flowers, please just let me see him. Let me go up to the room with you!”

“So that’s where the flowers came from” Dr Ral murmured. “Fine we’ll go up together and if Erwin says you can stay, then you can.”

Levi’s heart swelled with joy and he eagerly followed the woman to the elevators.

When they reached the room Erwin was asleep.

“We had to give him a big dose of valium. He was a bit hysterical which is understandable after what happened.”

Dr Ral walked to Erwin’s bedside and Levi took the other side. The small man took Erwin’s big hand in his.

“Oh, Erwin,” He said, “I’m so sorry this happened!” he turned to the nurse, “When will he wake up? Is there anything we can do?”

The nurse patted his shoulder and for once Levi didn’t turn away from human touch. “He’ll wake up soon. The valium makes you sleepy. Just be here for him, talk to him. He’s not hurt except for bruises but he’s had a really traumatic experience.”

Levi nodded and Dr Ral looked at him, hard. When the nurse was gone she spoke, “You have feelings for Erwin, don’t you?”

Levi blushed underneath the bruises on his face and stared at the floor. “Well, I just met him recently …”

“You said you brought him flowers. I saw the roses in the car. White roses.”

“I think he’s very kind …”

“You---”

And with a big inhale Erwin woke. Dr Ral’s whole demeanor changed.

“Erwin, darling! How do you feel?”

“P-petra? What happened? I hurt all over …”

“Erwin?” Levi said in a small voice.

Erwin leaned his head that way, “What …?”

“Do you need anything?”

“Thirsty. Water, please.”

Levi quickly snatched the big water cup and offered it to Erwin. Immediately the blond man extended the stump of his right arm then blinked and paused. His eyes fell to the smooth truncated limb and a look of shock and horror swept over his face. Then he looked up at Levi.

“Damn you! Get  _ away _ from me!” Erwin swiped clumsily at him with his left hand, “What have you  _ done _ to me?! Where is my arm?! Oh, God! My arm! How will I operate?!”

Levi tried to grab the larger man’s left hand. “Erwin, calm down …”

“Don’t you touch me! Don’t you tell me to calm down! What …? Petra …?”

The door opened and several nurses entered. They serenely surrounded Erwin and while two of them soothed him, the third injected a syringe full of something into his IV. It was only moments till he relaxed back onto the bed.

Levi, ashen, stared first at Erwin as he dozed back off and then at Petra.

“We need to talk,” she said

They went to a bar across the street and Levi ordered a double whisky and downed half of it in one go. Petra sat on a tall barstool and ordered a gin.

She crossed her legs as she perched.

“Oh my god,” Levi groaned, “What was that? Did he even recognise me?”

"Give him a break, Levi," Petra said sipping at her gin. "He's been through a lot."

Levi's ears perked up. He had? Was that why Erwin's eyes looked so sad? Why he avoided Levi's lame ass attempts at flirtation? Levi swirled his whisky causing the ice cubes to connect with the sides of the glass making soft tinkling sounds.

"Like what?"

For a moment it looked as though the petite redhead wouldn't share with Levi, then she sighed softly.

"It's a long sad story. How much time do you have?"

Levi resettled at the bar beside Petra and gestured at the barkeep to bring them fresh drinks. When Petra’s arrived she took a long sip and spoke.

"Erwin was a Veterinarian," 

Levi choked on his drink.

"What?!"

"It's true. He and I were at school together at Auburn in Alabama. He was the best damn vet I ever worked with.”

She leaned forward, “he was ferocious and focused, driven, wrote cutting edge papers on veterinary surgery. His wife, Marie, wanted him to slow down, wanted them to start a family but Erwin was too good at what he did, too dedicated to the cause of animal health, too passionate.”

Petra paused, sipping her drink, eyes focussed on the middle distance as if watching the memories of the way Erwin used to be.

Levi couldn't get his head around the concept. The quiet and self deprecating man from the shelter driven and focussed? Hard to believe. And there was a wife?

"Marie was in the car when they had the accident that took Erwin's arm,” Petra continued, “It was a drunk driver and a head on crash that involved two other cars. The car crumpled and pinched Erwin's arm between the doorframe and the body of the car. They obviously couldn't save it. If it hadn't been crushed just so he'd have bled out.”

Levi's mouth was dry

"What ... what happened to Marie?"

Petra finally looked at him.

"She was killed instantly."

Levi flinched and Petra took another gulp of her gin. Her gaze went back into time.

"the autopsy revealed that she was about seven weeks pregnant."

_ Oh fuck. Oh fuck oh fuck oh shit. Poor Erwin. _

"Erwin was never the same. He couldn't operate with only one hand so he hired me. For a while we worked side by side but he had lost interest. It was like working with a robot. He never wrote another paper.”

Petra downed the rest of her gin.

“But the worst part was the legal circus.” Her eyes, a soft hazel, grew hard. “Despite it not being Erwin’s fault the driver of the third car---she was mildly injured in the accident but claimed PTSD---sued him. He lost his insurance and couldn’t drive for a while, lost everything he owned including the house he’d bought with Marie. Worst of all they dragged him to court and made him re-live that accident over and over an--”

Levi gestured so violently he slopped whisky out of his glass.

“Yeah, yeah, I got it, he hates lawyers---but not all of us are sharks---he --”

“Your firm represented the prosecution.”

Levi dropped his drink, spilling ice cubes and good Jack Daniels all over the top of the bar. The bartender hurried over with a rag.

“My firm …”

“Pixis, Ackerman, and Shadis”

“When … when was this?”

“Three years ago”

“I wasn’t a partner then! I was there but I was just a small fish in a big pond!”

“Do you really think that matters to him?” Petra asked, voice going shrill, “Your name’s on the goddamned sign now!”

Levi stared, his eyes dull. All of this explained so much.

Petra suddenly shrugged.

"Eventually he gave up practice, sold his half to me, and opened up that seedy animal shelter." Petra stood and pulled the wrinkles out of her skirt , "He gave up everything and now has sunk what little money he has into that place." her eyes turned to him, bright and suddenly fierce.

"Now you know why I want you to leave him alone." Her empty glass hit the bar top with a firm click.

  
  


Levi called into work and took up a post by Erwin’s side. Erwin had woken and seen the doctor and had been told he could be released the next morning. He was fine except for the fuzzy head and bruises.

Levi had tentatively stood by while the doctor explained everything how this was not the car crash that had killed his wife but another and no one had died. After the doctor left Levi had tried to talk gently to the blond man but Erwin seemed depressed, distraught almost. He no longer seemed to be angry at Levi, and that was good, he no longer seemed to blame Levi for his missing arm.

Erwin was pressing his fingers against his forehead.

“Who … who is taking care of the shelter?”

“Petra called a … Sasha somebody?”

“Brouse, Sasha Brouse, Oh good she knows how to do everything. She needs a raise, remind me to give her a raise, oh god, my head hurts.”

Levi awkwardly patted his arm, “it’s just bruising from the accident. You’ll feel better every day” Levi assured him

“Why are you here?” Erwin asked suddenly frowning at Levi. “I don’t even know you, not really.”

“I saw the accident, well, I was  _ in _ the accident, kind of.”

“I saw the cops talking to you”

“Yeah I kinda rammed the other car to try to keep it from hitting you.” Levi scrubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, “I didn’t do too well on that front. I gotta go to court.”

Erwin giggled suddenly and Levi looked up. The big man laughed. “Sorry but that’s kinda funny … you’re a lawyer … going to court” He laughed again and Levi realised that his pain medication must be kicking in. They had him on Morphine and it was making him silly.

Levi stayed the night, Hange bringing him a change of clothes. When Erwin woke at midnight his giggly mood had turned maudlin. He insisted on calling Sasha Brouse whom he woke up and then quizzed on the condition of the shelter and the animals. He hung up and fell into a depressed state, picking at his blanket and staring out the window.

“Is there anything I can get you? Do for you?” Levi asked.

Erwin shook his head. “Everything hurts,” he said.

“I know. It’ll get better. They stopped the morphine so that’ll take some getting used to.” he explained. “I’m going to get some coffee would you like some?”

Erwin didn’t reply, just stared morosely out at the rain pattering against the big plate glass window.

“Well, I’ll be right back, OK?”

Levi turned to slip out the door when Erwin spoke, low and desperate “Please don't leave. Please don’t leave me.”

Levi stopped in his tracks and stared at the blond man.

“What?”

“Please don’t leave me. I can’t take it. I can’t take being alone right now.”

Levi trailed back to the bed, reaching out to touch Erwin’s hand.

“I’ll stay with you, Erwin, for as long as you like.”

Erwin’s hand convulsively grabbed Levis and they were holding hands like lovers. Levi was stricken. This man was too tall, too pretty, and too nice to be suffering. Levi wished he could erase all that and make his life serene. He squeezed Erwin’s hand and Erwin squeezed back.

They spent the next few long moments in silence.

“The wreck …” Erwin began, “The wreck that took my Marie away from me …”

Levi squeezed his hand again, “You don’t have to talk about it,”

“No … no … I want to. The wreck.  _ That  _ wreck. It was horrible.”

Abruptly and without warning Erwin began to cry. Levi was alarmed and had no idea what to do.

“It was horrible and horrifying and there was a tremendous crash and glass everywhere and then we were still and everything was quiet and you could smell metal and gasoline and Marie … Marie was …” A strangled sob escaped the big man and he resumed crying.

“I had to sit in that wreck with my dead wife! I couldn’t leave! I couldn’t get away! My arm …”

Levi did the only thing he could think of: he snatched the big man up into a crushing hug. Erwin clung to him with his left hand, gasping out huge gross sobs and snotting on his shirt. Levi didn't care. He didn't care at all. all he cared about right that second was Erwin and making Erwin feel better, feel safe again. If that safe place was Levi’s arms then so be it.


	4. The Shelter Owner

The next morning found both Levi and Erwin getting ready to leave the hospital. Levi was re-packing his small overnight bag (he had been sleeping on the couch in Erwin’s room) and Petra was there packing all of Erwin’s things. Both men were carefully not looking at each other and speaking with exaggerated politeness.

Whatever there had been between them last night had devolved into embarrassment. 

When Erwin left the hospital Petra was there to drive him. Levi, whose car had been towed to the Mercedes dealership to be repaired, was picked up by Hange. The four of them stood in front of the hospital awkwardly. 

Erwin finally held out his hand to Levi, “I want to thank you … for everything.”

Levi shook with him left handed, “And I want to apologise … for everything.”

Erwin looked at the ground and shook his head. “No need. No need.”

“Well, it makes me feel better,” Levi said.

They stood there uncertainly, hands still clasped, then quickly pulled apart.

Eventually the two pairs wandered away from each other and to their respective cars.

“Did you get that out of your system?” Petra asked Erwin, reaching over to help him secure his seatbelt.

“I’ll probably never see him again so I guess he had better be out.” Erwin said sadly.

In Hange’s car Hange sat and looked soberly at Levi who was gazing out the window in the direction that Erwin and Petra had walked off.

“You OK?”

“No.”

“Should you go talk to him?”

“What’s the point?”

Levi sighed and snapped his seatbelt closed.

For almost a week Levi went to work, drifted around his apartment, thought about Erwin, and drank wine. He was just not sure what to do. He wanted a cat. He wanted Erwin. But the big man hadn’t contacted him at all. What should he do? He ended up doing nothing.

On Saturday a package arrived.

It was a biggish box. About a foot square or so, it was a plain dull tan color, and tied loosely in old fashioned string.

Levi frowned around the hall suspiciously. Was this a prank? Some kids? No, his was a high security building. But why was the box upstairs? Usually the post was kept at the front desk.

Levi lifted the box cautiously and something shifted inside. Abruptly he frowned. Had some son of a bitch decided to play a joke on Levi? Send him a box of dog poop maybe? Or an embarassing sex toy?

Without closing the door, Levi slammed the box onto the table in his foyer and jerked the string off. It had a lid rather than flaps and Levi lifted the lid haphazardly and flung it across the room.

Then he froze, staring into the box.

Staring back at him was a very small, very black kitten with a big blue bow tied carefully around her neck. A simple card lay on the bottom of the box.

_ To: Levi _

_ From: Erwin _

Levi and the kitten regarded each other warily.

"Meu?" the kitten said and Levi scooped her up, cuddling her against his chest.

The box joined the lid (being flung across the foyer) and Levi hustled his cat into the kitchen.

"Stupid Erwin. Big dumb bastard." A small pot clattered onto the stove. "What does he think he's doing?" 

Levi elbowed the fridge open, "Giving me a cat? After all that’s happened?" Cream splashed into the pot.

Just as Levi was carefully testing the cream for temperature and pouring it into a shallow saucer there came a tentative tap on the door frame.

"Come in, idiot!" Levi yelled. He carefully put the tiny morsel of cat---his cat---down onto the spotless floor and set down the saucer.

Levi was rummaging in his cupboard for tuna in olive oil when Erwin came sheepishly into the kitchen.

“She was Ruby’s last kitten. The runt of the litter,” Erwin began without preamble, “She was sick so we adopted out all of her brothers and sisters and kept her until she was well.” Erwin shifted uneasily “She’s my apology for being a … a butthole to you. And a thank you. I really like you, Levi,” he finished awkwardly.

There was silence as the two men watched the voracious little beast finish up her tuna. Levi never moved.

Erwin scratched his head, “I can take her back if you---”

Levi held up one hand. He was stood, chin on his chest, looking down at the kitten. The kitten finished up her tuna, washed her face briefly, and then looked back up at Levi.

“Meu?” she said.

Levi pounced on her.

Erwin spent the next fifteen minutes watching Levi---a grown man and fearsome lawyer---take a handful of kitten around the apartment and show her her ‘stuff’.

“And this is your litter box,” Levi said, putting her down on the litter, “You do all of your---oh---yes, that’s good! What a good girl!” He then waited patiently for the miniscule cat to enthusiastically cover up her miniscule spot of wee.

“And this is your bed, and you’ve already seen your dishes, and I havent put together your playset, but I’ll do that tomorrow!”

Erwin grinned like a fool

Watching the straight laced and serious man show his cat around like it was an adopted child tickled him no end. He looked softly and so fondly at Levi that when the man looked at him he blushed.

"What are you going to name her?"

"Name her?"

"Yeah, what do you want to call her?"

"I haven't thought about it. What's a good cat name?'

"Whatever you want. She's black you can call her Blackie or Midnight"

Levi frowned and appeared to be thinking it over.

"No. Her mother had class so she will too. I'd like a more stately name."

"Ebony?"

"How about 'Obsidian'?"

Erwin grinned. "I love it!"

Levi smiled a small smile down at his cat. “Obsidian,” he said.

Erwin rose, “Well I guess I should get out of here. I know you two have a lot of acclimating to do …”

When he looked up, Levi’s eyes were hooded. He seemed to have made a decision. The smaller man put down the cat and carefully took off her blue bow. “Just a minute, Erwin.”

Erwin hesitated as Levi vanished into another room. Obsidian began a concentrated attack on her ribbon.

Levi reemerged a few minutes later. “Come here, Erwin I have something I want to show you in the bathroom.” he said, his voice husky.

“In the bathroom?” Erwin asked curiously. He stepped over to the smaller room.

The bath was as lavish as the rest of the apartment and about as big as Erwin’s living room. It featured a modern free-standing tub, a huge shower, two sinks, and multiple storage areas for towels and such.

Levi had been filling up the tub and the water steamed invitingly.

“Wh-what is …?”

“Take off your shoes,” Levi said, low.

“My shoes?”

“Yep. and your socks.”

“What are you going to do?”

Levi leant into the tub, carefully adjusting the spigots to get the right temperature. “I’m going to bathe you.”

“B-bathe me? I’m not dirty ….”

“But my mind is. I like you too, Erwin. Just humor me, OK?”

Erwin flushed red at the confession. This was it. This is what he had wanted all this time; to be with Levi, to be intimate with Levi. Was he ready for this? Ready to plunge into the smutty deep end? 

He was.

Slowly, like a man in a dream, he took off his shoes.

Levi proceeded to silently undress Erwin.

The ratty rust colored sweater was the first to go. Levi carefully folded it and set it on a chair. Erwin’s plaid shirt was next, Levi sweeping his hands 

over both shoulders down his good arm and down his truncated one, with no sign of distates or revulsion.

Erwin wore no undershirt and Levi took that opportunity to run his fingers lightly across the golden hair on the big man’s chest.

Trousers were next and by them Erwin was bright red. It didn't help that Levi kept eye contact the whole time he was unfastening Erwin’s belt and undoing his fly. Levi backed away to let Erwin take down his own underpants. It took the big man a few minutes to work up the courage to strip off his underwear. For one levi was still fully dressed, jacket, waistcoat, shirt and trousers. He even still had his shoes on.

Erwin finally did it.

Standing completely naked in front of a relative stranger was freeing and terrifying at the same time. The bathroom was toasty warm but Erwin still erupted in goosebumps at the sight of Levi taking him in with awe on his face and his mouth half open.

Levi, for his part  _ was _ awestruck. He had never seen a human being so gorgeous before. Over six feet tall and muscular, Erwin resembled a greek god of old. The missing part of his arm made absolutely no difference in his attractiveness. With his pale blond hair and slightly darker gold body hair not to mention his long, thick cock with it’s base in a mass of golden curls he could have been Zeus. Broad shoulders and a trim waist, thick thighs and a big hand he was a sight to behold and Levi beheld him.

After a few moments Levi finally cleared his throat. “Get in. I made it nice and hot.”

Erwin slowly lowered himself into the luxurious bath. Levi had put something in that bubbled up so he was taking a bubble bath essentially. It made him feel absolutely decadent. Finally submerged in the almost stingingly hot water Erwin could feel his muscles relaxing of their own will. He sighed. Being taken care of felt kind of good.

Levi returned with his jacket off, his waistcoat unbuttoned, and the sleeves of his shirt rolled up. He carried soap and a snowy white washcloth.

As Levi knelt by the tub, Obsidian dashed into the bathroom and wildly attacked one of Erwin’s socks. Satisfied that said sock was good and dead she barrelled out again.

“Your cat has a lot of energy,” Erwin said fondly.

“I was hoping she would be our cat,” Levi said casually.

Erwin’s head jerked up in shock and the bath water slopped against the sides of the tub.

“D-do you mean it?”

“Of course,” Levi murmured. He began soaping up the washcloth and his eyes met Erwins. Erwin was mesmerised. Levi’s eyes were blown with lust. He had spotted Levi’s obvious arousal when he himself was undressing but had politely ignored it. But this. This was something else. This man, a successful lawyer, wanted him. Him, a broke ass shelter owner with one arm.

Levi started with Erwin’s shoulders and neck soaping the cloth up thoroughly and than slowly stroking and soaping the skin. He did the back of Erwin’s neck, his shoulders, his throat up to his jaw then he went to work on Erwin’s arm stump. Again no aversion at all he just treated it as a limb, soaping it up, paying close attention to the underarm, and switching to the left arm. He carefully cleaned Erwin’s hand even getting up under his nails with a small tool. When he got to Erwin’s chest the big man squirmed uncomfortably. Levi’s stroked down his body were getting very very close to his penis which, to his embarrassment was semi hard. Levi’s own member strained impressively at the front of his trousers as he bent over the tub. Sure enough when Levi’s cleansing strokes got around Erwin’s hips the cloth brushed the tip of his penis and made him jump and blush even redder.

Abruptly Levi bypassed the whole penis area and began working on Erwin’s thighs. Thick with muscle, apparently they were sensitive too; when levi tried to swipe the cloth along the insides of his long thighs Erwin grunted and squirmed and his erection grew. Unperturbed, Levi proceeded downward to shins and calves and feet doing the same careful job as he had with Erwin’s hand, even cleaning under the nails again.

When he was done Levi walked on his knees back up to Erwin’s head. The big man was almost boneless with relaxation after the bath and he lolled his head over toward Levi and smiled.

“May I kiss you?” Levi asked.

“Yes, please,” Erwin said.

Levi kissed him chastely at first, just a press of his lips against his. Erwin kissed back carefully. Then Levi tried swiping his tongue over Erwin’s upper lip asking for access. Erwin parted his lips and Levi delved in. Immediately they were kissing like teenagers and Erwin’s hand was on the back of Levi’s neck and Levi’s hands were on Erwin’s shoulders. As they kissed, Levi’s hand slipped downward along Erwin’s goody trail and into his pubic hair. Erwin groaned when Levi touched the base of his cock. 

Levi swept his hand slowly and loosely upward taking in Erwin’s big, turgid, uncircumcised cock in his fist.

“So pretty,” He murmured and kissed Erwin again, all the while caressing his cock and swirling his hand around the head. “Let’s wash this bit, shall we?”

Levi abandoned the rough cloth to soap up Erwin’s member by hand. The sensation of a slick hand stroking made the big man gasp and Levi didn’t even pretend to start off slowly.

“Gonna get you nice and clean …” he said nuzzling under the other man’s ear and sucking up lover’s marks on his pink skin. Erwin groaned and tried to relax under the onslaught but it was too much. Levi’s small, strong hand pumped him quickly and efficiently, squeezing just the right amount plus that little twist of the wrist at the upstroke. Erwin was undone. He could feel the shuddery sensation pool in his groin.

“Le-levi! Ah! You’re gonna make me cum.” He whispered.

“No, not yet, lover. Be strong for Levi,”

Erwin writhed, sloshing the bath water as Levi slowed his stroke, staving off the big man’s orgasm.

“Mmmh … please … Levi,”

Erwin never knew sex could be like this; this lascivious, this delicious, this agonising as Levi slowed his pace even more.

“What do you want, Erwin?” Levi said

“I want to cum. Please, let me---oh!---cum.”

“You look so beautiful like this, so pretty for me,” Levi’s hand suddenly began a faster rhythm, squeezed harder, Erwin’s mouth dropped open and his head lolled back.

“I want you to cum for me, Erwin, can you cum for me?”

And Erwin did, hips stuttering and bucking up into Levi’s fist he came all over Levi’s hand and his own belly. After he rode out his high he collapsed bonelessly into the still warm bath.

  
  


Finally Levi stood. He handed the soapy cloth to Erwin. “I’ll let you wash the rest, I don’t want to blow my load all over the tub.”

“Why not?” Erwin said cheekily, “I just did.”

Levi leaned in and kissed the blond man thoroughly. “I’d rather blow it all inside you.” He whispered in his ear.

Erwin shivered with anticipation and began enthusiastically washing himself.

When Erwin was done washing he found a pristine white bathrobe that was suspiciously in his size. It hung on one of two hooks that looked freshly put up. The other hook held an identical bathrobe, only several sizes smaller. Erwin donned the robe and stepped out into the apartment. After the steamy warmth of the bathroom the living room seemed chilly and Erwin regretted not putting his socks back on (despite one being dead from a cat attack).

“Join me?” a voice said.

It was Levi sat on the stainless steel and leather couch. He was sipping a glass of deep red wine. Erwin joined him, accepting a glass and thankful for the bright white faux fur rug that immediately warmed his feet.

Erwin sat and the couch leather creaked.

“This furniture Levi …”

“It sucks I know. I hired a decorator and just let her do whatever she wanted. I don’t think any of it’s meant to be used. It’s just supposed to look good.” 

Levi took a gulp of his wine, “No, It’s supposed to look  _ expensive. _ ”

“Well it’s not comfortable.” Erwin sipped his wine, “This though,” he waved his glass, “Is exquisite”

“You know your wines.” Levi said.

“I know what I like,” said Erwin.

Levi pinked up at that and studied his wine glass.

“And I like you … Levi. I mean it.”

Levi frowned at his wine glass and Erwin grew concerned.

“You … I know you’ve been through a lot, Erwin, and I don’t want you to … to be with me for the wrong reasons.”

“Wrong reasons?”

Obsidian burst from under the couch then and attacked the leg of the coffee table.

“I have got to get her some toys. I forgot toys, “ Levi said smiling tenderly at her

Erwin leaned forward and put his big hand on Levi’s strong slender one. “Wrong reasons? Levi?”

Levi shrugged. “Like, just because I tried to help you in the accident, or I was at the hospital, or guilt, or obligation, or whatever shitty thing …”

Levi had taken his shoes off and he twiddled his toes and was rewarded with Obsidian attacking them and biting the sock covered digits.

“Ow, ow! You little devil!”

Erwin didn’t laugh.

“Levi. If we are going to go on with this I need you to know that whatever I do I do because I like you. Not out of guilt or obligation or anything like that.” He squeezed Levi’s hand. “I like you, Levi. That’s why I’m here.”

Levi gently pinched the bruised bridge of his nose suddenly. “But my firm, Erwin … and Marie …”

“Levi, what happened to Marie had nothing to do with you. What happened afterward had nothing to do with you.”

“I feel so bad, Erwin”

“You shouldn’t.”

They sat for a moment in an awkward silence, sipping their wine and watching Obsidian randomly attack tufts of the white faux fur rug. Abruptly Levi sat forward and put his wine glass down. Erwin followed suit. Levi picked at the fingernails of one hand with the other. “I want to get to know you Erwin, I want more with you …”

“Levi …” Erwin began.

“But right now, I wanna fuck you,” Levi blurted.

Erwin swallowed. “Good …” he breathed, “I want you to.”

They met in the middle of the couch, mouths open, tongues exploring, hands grabbing and fondling everything they could reach.

By the time they made it into the bedroom (closing the door gently to keep nosy kittens out), Levi had shed his socks and waistcoat and was working on his shirt.

Erwin, who had dropped his robe out on the faux fur rug, stopped him. “Here let me.”

He undressed Levi deftly for a man with only one hand, needing no assistance till he came to Levi’s belt then he lowered himself to his knees and held the tail of the belt in his teeth while undoing the buckle. Just the sight of the big man on his knees made Levi groan and he tipped them both unceremoniously onto the bed.

  
  


Erwin was squeaky clean and smelled of soap, Levi, however hadn’t bathed since that morning and had the mild scent of soap, sweat, oregano where he had been cooking, and, faintly, some spicy cologne. It was a wonderful, manly smell and Erwin had to resist the urge to shove his face into the man’s chest and breathe deeply. As it was he couldn’t resist the urge to tuck his nose under Levi’s ear and enjoy as much of the scent from there as he could.

Levi’s body, as he lay there, was a work of art in Erwin’s shocked eyes. Skin a porcelain white, hair midnight black, sculpted muscles; he was beautiful. 

Erwin was obsessed with Levi’s body hair. For some reason he’d imagined the smaller man as being almost hairless or having just faint body hair but Levi had plenty. Sparse black hair formed a loose rectangle on his chest and his goody trail stretched from his sternum to his pubic hair. He clearly manscaped but there was still a plentiful swath of soft ebony hair around his crotch and nestled in that, his thick, pale, half-hard cock just begging to be touched.

And touch it Erwin did.

Levi gasped at the sensation of Erwin’s big, warm hand engulfing his cock. A minute of firm strokes had the member straining toward the ceiling in a proud arch.

“Ahh, god, you’re so good for me, Erwin, so---mmmh---good,” Levi murmured.

“I want to be even better for you, Levi,” Erwin whispered, mesmerized by the man laid out beside him.

“Then why don’t you ride me?” Levi asked huskily, “I want to watch you.”

“Wa-watch me? I’ve only … only ever done it … from behind.” Erwin turned crimson as he admitted that. 

Levi’s cock twitched at this information. Levi looked up in awe. Here was this sweet, beautiful, kind man who couldn’t even bring himself to curse and he had never been fucked face to face? Levi was one lucky, lucky bastard to be the first.

Levi sat up and, sliding his hands softly around each side of Erwin’s face, kissed him gently. “I want to watch you. I want to see every expression on your beautiful face, Erwin.”

Levi took him by both arms and guided him into place. “Just put one leg over.”

Erwin threw one muscular leg over Levi's hips and for a moment just stood there on his knees looking down at Levi.

Erwin Smith was a big man. For just a second Levi was unsure, impressed, and a bit intimidated by the godlike titan astride him. Erwin's cock, too big to support itself upright, bobbed at a 45 degree angle downward, pointed directly at Levi's chin. Levi almost salivated imagining himself taking it in his mouth.

But that fantasy would have to play out another time

“Lube and stuff in the table,” Levi mumbled, still mesmerized by the sight of Erwin in his naked glory. Erwin leaned over to rummage in Levi’s bedside table. He was momentarily shocked---Levi had lube and condoms galore. He held up a long strip of condoms and gave Levi a quizzical look. Levi had the good grace to blush.

He shrugged, “Ya never know …”

“Somebody’s seen a lot more action than I have,” Erwin said drily.

Levi sat up on his elbows, “Not any more. Now it’s just you.”

Erwin blushed and bent to kiss the smaller man thoroughly.

“Good.”

Erwin wasn’t completely inexperienced, though. He backed up on his knees. The action pressed Levi’s thighs together, pushing his turgid member and balls up enticingly. Erwin carefully pulled a condom over Levi’s hard cock and then grasped him to stroke him while lubing him up.

Levi laid back and trembled with pleasure at both the stimulation and the visual. “H-hurry up, Erwin, you’re driving me crazy!”

Erwin shuffled forward on his knees again till he was over Levi’s hips and his full cock was tapping Levi’s belly button.

“Just sit back …” Levi breathed.

Erwin reached behind himself to guide Levi’s cock and slowly lowered himself down. The sight of the tall man’s long, muscular thighs flexing made Levi’s cock twitch.

Soon the tip of said cock was nestled between Erwin’s plump buttcheeks and he began to lower himself down further.

He gasped when the head pushed in and enthusiastically sank down lower. Levi massaged Erwin’s thighs and tried very hard to resist the desire to buck up into the man. As it was he moaned low in his throat as Erwin’s hot ass engulfed his cock, inch by inch.

Finally, after what seemed like an age, Erwin---blushed crimson and with a fine sheen of sweat on his brow---was fully seated on Levi’s dick. He was gorgeous and Levi tried to take him in like this, remember this glorious look for later, for forever.

Abruptly the bigger man moved, rolling his hips and both men groaned in unison. “Oh, Levi it feels so good! This feels … so …  _ good!” _

Levi, for his part, was desperately struggling to stay still, to let Erwin set the pace. But it _ did  _ feel good. The intense heat and tightness of Erwin’s ass plus the warmth and weight of him astride Levi made the smaller man want to grab him and thrust up wildly, but he held himself at bay.

Erwin rolled his hips again, starting a rhythm, and Levi grunted in pleasure, tensing and releasing his muscles in time to the movement, rolling along opposite him.

“Dear god …” Levi moaned, gripping the larger man’s thighs convulsively. “You look so beautiful, so beautiful, Erwin. Ride me, yes, fuck, yes!”

Another blush flared on the blond man’s cheeks and he upped his pace, riding Levi hard now, eliciting a grunt from the man with every rock of his hips. Erwin was pleased, embarrassed and suffused with lust. He couldn’t believe he was here fucking himself down on this gorgeous man’s cock, couldn’t believe how good it felt, the stretch and burn of it, and the electric jolt of pleasure each time Levi’s cock brushed his prostate.

Erwin’s big cock was dripping precum all over Levi’s skin and slapping his belly rhythmically as he rocked on the smaller man.

“Jesus, Erwin … god, you’re gonna make me cum … I’m not gonna last, shit!”

Erwin ignored him, rocking faster, shoving himself shamelessly down on the other’s cock, moaning wantonly. He had no intentions of slowing down or stopping. This felt too good, too satisfying. He raised what remained of his right arm and his left and flexed his abdomen, tightening his ass. Levi’s hands shot to his hips and a string of obscenities fell from the smaller man’s lips at the delicious pressure. Levi’s rhythm stuttered and the slap of flesh on flesh became loud and obscene.

“Ohgodohgod! Oh fuck! You feel so good! Mmmh! Gonna cum!  _ Erwin!”  _ and Levi came deep inside Erwin’s twitching ass, breath ragged and sweat running down his face.

“Touch me, Levi!” Erwin said and Levi did, grabbing Erwin’s hard cock in both hands and jerking him off.

Erwin came suddenly with a shout of Levi’s name, spurts of cum reaching the smaller man’s face.

For several gasping minutes the two of them just panted and came down from their respective highs, Erwin bracing himself over Levi, sweat dripping from the tip of his nose. Finally Erwin gently eased himself off of Levi and laid down beside him. Levi cleaned them both off with a damp washcloth then flopped back onto the bed.

Erwin cuddled into Levi’s side, pressing his face into the side of the other man’s neck. After a few moments he spoke. “I know you talked about ‘our cat’ … did you mean that? Are you really ready for that?”

“You got cum in my  _ hair _ , Erwin,” Levi pointed out, “and I’m still cuddling with you. That’s a big ‘yes’ from me.”

Erwin gave the smaller man a wet kiss on the neck and then snuggled back in.

A series of angry scratches came from the door followed by an outraged meow.

Erwin laughed and Levi cursed.

“Sounds like our daughter is angry with you, Papa” Erwin said.

“She’s gonna ruin my paint!” Levi struggled up out of the bed and crossed to the door, throwing it open. Obsidian burst in and looked around suspiciously before clambering up the duvet and onto the bed.

“You bad girl,” Erwin said, loving on her. A tiny version of her mother’s deep purr burst out of the small cat. Levi came back to the bed and climbed in with a sigh.

“Brand new family and already they’re high maintenance!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. Here we are at the end. Thank you everyone who left Kudos and comments on this fic, you have made my day each and every day and encouraged me to keep writing! I have a few more Eruri fics in the works so stay tuned! LOVE YOU ALL! <3


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